Luggage having a tapered lid depth

ABSTRACT

A luggage is disclosed having a front face opposite a rear face, a plurality of sides, and at least one support. The plurality of side faces collectively surround the front and rear faces. Each side face connects the front face to the rear face. The plurality of side faces includes at least an upper face opposite a lower face. The lower face includes a front portion extending forwardly of the upper face. The at least one support is coupled to the front portion of the lower face. A handle is coupled to the upper face.

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/114,710, filed Feb. 11, 2015, the contents of which are hereinincorporated by reference.

FIELD

The field of this disclosure relates to luggage for storage ortransportation of articles.

INTRODUCTION

Luggage is a reclosable storage container for transporting personalarticles, such as clothing and the like, in a vehicle, such as a plane,train, or automobile. The maximum allowable size of the luggage may begoverned by restrictions imposed by the operators of such vehicles (e.g.the airline) and by the size of the storage compartments for the luggageon the vehicle (e.g. overhead compartments). In some cases, a luggagemay include wheels and a handle to assist with manually transporting theluggage by hand.

SUMMARY

In one aspect, a luggage is provided. The luggage may comprise a frontface opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces, at least onesupport, and at least one handle. The plurality of side faces maycollectively surround the front and rear faces. Each side face mayconnect the front face to the rear face, the plurality of side faces mayinclude at least an upper face opposite a lower face, and the lower facemay include a front portion extending forwardly of the upper face. Theat least one support may be coupled to the front portion of the lowerface, and the at least one handle may be coupled to the upper face.

In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise a lid andat least one support. The lid may be coupled to a front end of a basealong a parting line. Each of the lid and base may extend between alower end and an upper end. The depth of the base may be substantiallyconstant between the lower and upper ends of the base. The depth of thelid may taper from proximate the lower end of the lid toward the upperend of the lid, and the at least one support may be coupled to the lowerend of the lid.

In another aspect, a luggage is provided, which may comprise a frontface opposite a rear face, a plurality of side faces collectivelysurrounding the front and rear faces, a parting line dividing theluggage into a lid and a base, and at least one support. Each side facemay connect the front face to the rear face. The plurality of side facesmay include at least an upper face opposite a lower face. The lid mayinclude the front face, and the base may include the rear face. At leasta portion of the front face may extend from proximate the lower facetoward the upper face in a direction toward the rear face, and the atleast one support may be connected to the lid on the lower face.

DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position inaccordance with at least one embodiment;

FIG. 1B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1C is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 1E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 1A;

FIG. 2A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position inaccordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 2B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2C is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 2E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 2A;

FIG. 3A is a perspective view of a luggage in a closed position inaccordance with another embodiment;

FIG. 3B is a side elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3C is a top plan view of the luggage of FIG. 3A;

FIG. 3D is a front elevation view of the luggage of FIG. 3A; and

FIG. 3E is a bottom plan view of the luggage of FIG. 3A.

DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

Numerous embodiments are described in this application, and arepresented for illustrative purposes only. The described embodiments arenot intended to be limiting in any sense. The invention is widelyapplicable to numerous embodiments, as is readily apparent from thedisclosure herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that thepresent invention may be practiced with modification and alterationwithout departing from the teachings disclosed herein. Althoughparticular features of the present invention may be described withreference to one or more particular embodiments or figures, it should beunderstood that such features are not limited to usage in the one ormore particular embodiments or figures with reference to which they aredescribed.

The terms “an embodiment,” “embodiment,” “embodiments,” “theembodiment,” “the embodiments,” “one or more embodiments,” “someembodiments,” and “one embodiment” mean “one or more (but not all)embodiments of the present invention(s),” unless expressly specifiedotherwise.

The terms “including,” “comprising” and variations thereof mean“including but not limited to,” unless expressly specified otherwise. Alisting of items does not imply that any or all of the items aremutually exclusive, unless expressly specified otherwise. The terms “a,”“an” and “the” mean “one or more,” unless expressly specified otherwise.

As used herein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be“coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, or “fastened” where the parts arejoined or operate together either directly or indirectly (i.e., throughone or more intermediate parts), so long as a link occurs. As usedherein and in the claims, two or more parts are said to be “directlycoupled”, “directly connected”, “directly attached”, or “directlyfastened” where the parts are connected directly in physical contactwith each other. As used herein, two or more parts are said to be“rigidly coupled”, “rigidly connected”, “rigidly attached”, or “rigidlyfastened” where the parts are coupled so as to move as one whilemaintaining a constant orientation relative to each other. None of theterms “coupled”, “connected”, “attached”, and “fastened” distinguish themanner in which two or more parts are joined together.

Referring to FIGS. 1A-1E, a luggage 100 is shown in accordance with atleast one embodiment. Luggage 100 may be used to store and transportpersonal articles, such as clothing and the like. For example, luggage100 may be a travel case for carrying personal belongings on voyages byplane, train, or automobile.

As exemplified, luggage 100 may include a front face 104 opposite a rearface 108, and a plurality of sides 112 which collectively surround thefront and rear faces 104 and 108. Luggage 100 may include any number ofsides 112, and each side 112 may connect rear face 108 to front face104. In the illustrated example, sides 112 include an upper face 116, alower face 120, and opposite lateral side faces 124. Each of the frontand rear faces 104 and 108 may have a surface area which exceeds that ofany one of the side faces 112.

Optionally, luggage 100 may include one or more supports for supportingluggage 100 on a ground surface (e.g. the floor or horizontal surface).Rolling supports may further assist with moving luggage 100 across ahorizontal surface. Examples of suitable supports include fixed-axlewheels, spinner wheels, and feet. In the illustrated example, luggage100 includes four spinner wheels 128 coupled to lower face 120.

Luggage 100 may include any suitable number of supports. For example,luggage 100 may include fewer than four wheels 128 (e.g. zero to threewheels), or greater than three wheels 128 (e.g. four to ten wheels). Insome embodiments, luggage 100 may include a combination of two or moreof fixed-axle wheels, spinner wheels, and feet. For example, luggage 100may include two fixed-axle wheels on lower face 120 proximate rear face108 for supporting luggage 100 when tilted with rear face 108 at anacute angle to the ground surface.

In some embodiments, luggage 100 may include one or more handles forgrasping luggage 100 by hand. A handle may have a fixed length or may beselectively extensible. In the illustrated embodiment, luggage 100includes a handle 132 coupled to upper face 116. A user may grasp handle132 while luggage 100 is supported on wheels 128 for maneuvering luggage100 across a ground surface. Optionally, luggage 100 may includeadditional handles on other side faces 112 such as lateral side faces124. In some cases, a handle on a side face 124 may be well suited forcarrying luggage 100 while lifted off of the ground surface.

Luggage 100 may include a lid 136 and a base 140. Lid 136 may include atleast a portion of front face 104, and base 140 may include at least atleast a portion of rear face 108. As shown, lid 136 may include all offront face 104, and/or base 140 may include all of rear face 108. Base140 may define one or more interior storage compartments which may beselectively closed by connecting lid 136 to a front end 144 of base 140to define an enclosed cavity or cavities. In some cases, lid 136 mayfurther define one or more interior storage compartments which mayremain separate or be additive with the storage compartment(s) of base140 when lid 136 is closed onto base 140. Lid 136 may be movable betweena closed position (shown) in which a periphery of lid 136 abuts aperiphery of base 140 for closing base 140, and an open position (notshown) in which a majority of lid 136 is spaced apart from base 140 foraccessing the storage compartment(s) of base 140 and/or lid 136.

Luggage 100 may further include a parting line 148. As used herein andin the claims, a parting line is an imaginary line tracing the thresholdbetween lid 136 and base 140 when lid 136 is connected to base 140 inthe closed position. Parting line 148 may extend across any number offaces 104, 108, and/or 112 of luggage 100 according to the respectiveshapes of lid 136 and base 140. In the illustrated example, parting line148 is shown extending through each side face 112 along a pathintermediate front and rear faces 104 and 108. In this case, each of lid136 and base 140 may include respective portions of each of side faces112 (e.g. each of upper, lower, and lateral faces 116, 120, and 124).

Parting line 148 may be formed by any number of straight and/or curvedsegments. In the illustrated embodiment, parting line 148 extendslinearly across each of lateral side faces 124, upper face 116, andlower face 120. As shown, parting line 148 may include segments 152which extend from lower face 120 to upper face 116 across lateral sidefaces 124. Segments 152 may be substantially vertically aligned asshown, or alternatively aligned at an angle to vertical. As exemplified,segments 152 may extend substantially parallel to rear face 108.Alternatively, segments 152 may extend at an angle to rear face 108.

Lid 136 and base 140 may be connected in any suitable fashion, along anysegment of parting line 148. In some embodiments, lid 136 and base 140are connected by one or more of a zipper, a hinge, and a lock. Forexample, luggage 100 may include a hinge 149 along one of segments 152,and a zipper 150 which extends along the remainder of parting line 148.

The stability of luggage 100 when carried on a ground surface bysupports may be improved by enlarging the supported footprint formed bythose supports. In some embodiments, at least one support is connectedto lower face 120 proximate front face 104 of luggage 100. For example,one or more supports may be connected to lid 136 on lower face 120. Inthe illustrated example, a wheel 128 is connected to each front cornerregion of lower face 120. In some embodiments, at least one support isconnected to lower face 120 proximate rear face 108 of luggage 100. Forexample, one or more supports may be connected to base 140 on lower face120. In the illustrated example, a wheel 128 is connected to each rearcorner region of lower face 120. In combination, supports distributedabout opposite peripheral edges of lower face 120 may provide a largesupported footprint for enhanced stability of luggage 100. In theillustrated example, wheels 128 are positioned at each corner of lowerface 120, which may maximize the supported footprint for improvedstability.

A support may be connected to a component (e.g. face) of luggage 100 inany suitable fashion, such as by fasteners (e.g. screws, bolts, staples,nails, or rivets), adhesives, or by integrally forming the support withthe component of the luggage 100.

Luggage 100 has a depth 156 measured in a direction 160 intersecting thefront and rear faces 104 and 108. As exemplified, direction 160 may benormal to one or both of front and rear faces 104 and 108. As shown,direction 160 may be substantially horizontal when luggage 100 iscarried on a horizontal surface by supports on lower face 120. Depth 156may be attributed at least in part to a depth 164 of base 140, and adepth 168 of lid 136. In the illustrated example, depth 156 is asummation of base depth 164 and lid depth 168.

In some embodiments, it may be desirable to provide a luggage having adeep base and a shallow lid. This may permit most or all of the storagecapacity of the luggage to be provided by the base. In use, luggage 100may be filled while laid down with rear face 108 flat on a groundsurface, and lid 136 in an open position (e.g. pivoted about hinge 149).The weight of a filled lid 136 (which must be moved atop base 140 toclose luggage 100) may be reduced by decreasing the depth (and storagecapacity) of lid 136. To keep the overall storage capacity of luggage100 the same, base depth 164 may be increased to compensate.

Lid 136 may include a front-most portion of lower face 120, which mayprovide an ideal position for locating a support for an enlargedsupported footprint for enhanced stability. However, in some cases, asupport may require a minimum surface area to form a proper connectionwith the surface. Accordingly, lid 136 may have a first depth at lowerface 120 sufficient for attaching at a support, and the depth may tapertoward upper face 116.

In the illustrated example, depth 156 decreases from proximate lowerface 120 toward upper face 116. This may provide a lower face depth 172greater than an upper face depth 176. As illustrated, lower face 120 mayinclude a front portion 180 and a rear portion 184. Front portion 180may extend forward of upper face 116. For example, front portion 180 maybe entirely positioned forward of a front edge 188 of upper face 116. Asillustrated, front portion 180 may extend from front face 104 towardparting line 148. Rear portion 184 may be entirely positioned rearwardof front edge 188. In the illustrated example, rear portion 184 isentirely aligned vertically below upper face 116. As exemplified, wheels128 may be coupled to front portion 180. As shown, lid 136 may includeat least front portion 180 of lower face 120.

Base depth 164 may be measured between rear face 108 and parting line148. In some embodiments, base depth 164 may be substantially constantbetween lower face 120 and upper face 116. For example, parting line 148may extend along lateral side faces 124 in parallel with rear face 108.In the illustrated example, each of parting line 148 and rear face 108is substantially vertically aligned to provide a constant base depth164. In some embodiments, parting line 148 may lie in a substantiallyvertical plane. In some cases, a substantially constant base depth 164may permit articles to be more evenly distributed within the storagecompartment(s) of base 140. For example, articles may be stacked insidebase 140 to a constant height across base 140. In alternativeembodiments, base depth 164 may vary between upper and lower faces 116and 120 of luggage 100.

As exemplified, lid depth 168 may decrease from proximate lower face 120toward upper face 116. For example, lid 136 may include a lower portion192 and an upper portion 196. As exemplified, lid depth 168 may decreasefrom proximate lower face 120 across lower portion 192, and lid depth168 may remain constant across upper portion 196. As shown, lid depth168 may be greater in lower portion 192 than upper portion 196 by anysuitable amount. For example, the maximum lid depth 168 in lower portion192 may be between 1.2 to 5 times, or 1.3 to 3, or 1.5 to 2.5 times thelid depth 168 in upper portion 196. In the example shown, the maximumlid depth 168 in lower portion 192 is approximately 2 times the liddepth 168 in the upper portion 196. The enlarged lid depth 168 mayprovide additional surface area to lid on lower surface 120 forattaching a support, such as wheel 128. There may be any suitable ratioof lid depth 168 in upper portion 196 to base depth 164. For example,the ratio may be between 2:1 to 20:1, or 3:1 to 15:1, or 4:1 to 10:1. Inthe illustrated embodiment, the ratio is approximately 6:1.

In alternative embodiments, lid depth 168 may decrease but at a lowerrate across upper portion 196 toward upper face 116, or lid depth 168may increase across upper portion 196 toward upper face 116.

Lid depth 168 may be measured between front face 104 and parting line148. As exemplified, front face 104 may include an upper portion 200adjacent upper face 116 and a lower portion 204 adjacent lower face 120.The lower portion 204 may extend from upper portion 200 away from rearface 108 toward lower face 120. For example, front face lower portion204 may extend from upper portion 200 away from parting line 148 towardlower face 120. Front face upper portion 200 may extend in parallel withrear face 108 and/or parting line 148. Alternatively, front face upperportion 200 may extend toward or away from rear face 108 and/or partingline 148. Lid upper portion 196 may include front face upper portion200, and lid lower portion 192 may include front face lower portion 204.

Lid 136 may include lid upper portion 196 and lid lower portion 192 inany suitable ratio. For example, lid 136 may include upper and lowerportions 196 and 192 in the ratio of between 0.5:1 to 20:1, 1:1 to 3:1,or greater than 5:1. Front face 104 may include upper and lower portions200 and 204 in the same or similar ratios. In the illustratedembodiment, lid 136 includes upper and lower portions 196 and 192 in theratio of about 2:1. FIGS. 2A-2E show another embodiment of luggage 100having a lid 136 with upper and lower portions 196 and 192 in the ratioof about 10:1. Referring to FIGS. 3A-3E, in some embodiments, luggage100 may include a lid 136 having only a lower portion 192 and no upperportion 196. In this case, lid depth 168 may taper continuously fromproximate lower face 120 to proximate upper face 116 as shown.

Front face 104 may extend from proximate lower face 120 toward upperface 116 and rear face 108 at any suitable angle 208 to horizontal. Forexample, angle 208 may be between 5 to 85 degrees, 20 to 75 degrees, or30 to 65 degrees. As exemplified, FIGS. 1A-1E show an embodiment ofluggage 100 where angle 208 is approximately 70 degrees, FIGS. 2A-2Eshow an embodiment of luggage 100 where angle 208 is approximately 45degrees, and FIGS. 3A-3E show an embodiment of luggage 100 where angle208 is approximately 82 degrees.

While the above description provides examples of the embodiments, itwill be appreciated that some features and/or functions of the describedembodiments are susceptible to modification without departing from thespirit and principles of operation of the described embodiments.Accordingly, what has been described above has been intended to beillustrative of the invention and non-limiting and it will be understoodby persons skilled in the art that other variants and modifications maybe made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined inthe claims appended hereto. The scope of the claims should not belimited by the preferred embodiments and examples, but should be giventhe broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.

Items

Item 1. A luggage comprising:

-   -   a front face opposite a rear face;    -   a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and        rear faces,        -   each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,        -   the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face            opposite a lower face,        -   the lower face including a front portion extending forwardly            of the upper face,    -   at least one support coupled to the front portion of the lower        face; and    -   at least one handle coupled to the upper face.

Item 2. The luggage of item 1, wherein a parting line extends acrosseach of the plurality of side faces to define a lid and a base, the lidincluding the front face, the base including the rear face.

Item 3. The luggage of item 2, wherein the lid includes the frontportion of the lower face.

Item 4. The luggage of item 2 or item 3, wherein the front portionextends from the front face toward the parting line.

Item 5. The luggage of any one of items 1-4, wherein the support is aspinner wheel.

Item 6. The luggage of any one of items 1-5, wherein the at least onesupport includes a second support coupled to the lower face proximatethe rear face

Item 7. The luggage of any one of items 2-6 when dependent on item 2wherein the parting line lies in a vertical plane.

Item 8. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2wherein:

a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upperface, and the segment of the parting line is vertically aligned.

Item 9. The luggage of any one of items 2-7 when dependent on item 2wherein:

a segment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upperface, and the segment of the parting line is parallel with the rearface.

Item 10. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2wherein a depth of the base measured between the rear face and theparting line is substantially constant between the lower and upperfaces.

Item 11. The luggage of any one of items 2-10 when dependent on item 2wherein a depth of the lid measured between the front face and theparting line tapers from proximate the lower face toward the upper face.

Item 12. The luggage of any one of items 2-9 when dependent on item 2wherein the lid has a lid depth measured between the front face and theparting line, the base has a base depth measured between the rear faceand the parting line, and a ratio of the lid depth to the base depth isbetween 2:1 and 20:1.

Item 13. The luggage of any one of items 2-12 when dependent on item 2wherein:

-   -   the front face includes an upper portion adjacent the upper        face, and a lower portion adjacent the lower face,    -   the upper portion is substantially parallel with the rear face,        and    -   the lower portion extends from the upper portion away from the        rear face toward the lower face.

Item 14. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes theupper portion and the lower portion in the ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1.

Item 15. The luggage of item 13 wherein the front face includes theupper portion and the lower portion in the ratio of at least 5:1.

Item 16. The luggage of any one of items 2-14 when dependent on item 2further comprising a zipper and a hinge connecting the lid and the basealong the parting line.

Item 17. A luggage comprising:

-   -   a lid coupled to a front end of a base along a parting line,        -   each of the lid and base extending between a lower end and            an upper end,        -   a depth of the base is substantially constant between the            lower and upper ends of the base,        -   a depth of the lid tapers from proximate the lower end of            the lid toward the upper end of the lid; and    -   at least one support coupled to the lower end of the lid.

Item 18. The luggage of item 16 wherein:

-   -   the lid includes a lower portion adjacent the lower end of the        lid, and an upper portion adjacent the upper end of the lid,    -   the depth of the lid tapers in the lower portion of the lid, and    -   the depth of the lid is substantially constant in the upper        portion of the lid.

Item 19. The luggage of item 18 wherein:

-   -   the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a        ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1.

Item 20. The luggage of item 18 wherein:

-   -   the lid includes the upper portion and the lower portion in a        ratio of at least 5:1.

Item 21. A luggage comprising:

-   -   a front face opposite a rear face;    -   a plurality of side faces collectively surrounding the front and        rear faces,        -   each side face connecting the front face to the rear face,        -   the plurality of side faces including at least an upper face            opposite a lower face;    -   a parting line dividing the luggage into a lid and a base, the        lid including the front face, the base including the rear face,        -   at least a portion of the front face extends from proximate            the lower face toward the upper face in a direction toward            the rear face; and    -   at least one support connected to the lid on the lower face.

Item 22. The luggage of item 21, wherein:

-   -   a segment of the parting line extends substantially linearly        between the lower face and the upper face.

1. A luggage comprising: a front face opposite a rear face; a pluralityof side faces collectively surrounding the front and rear faces, eachside face connecting the front face to the rear face, the plurality ofside faces including at least an upper face opposite a lower face, thelower face including a front portion extending forwardly of the upperface, at least one support coupled to the front portion of the lowerface; and at least one handle coupled to the upper face.
 2. The luggageof claim 1, wherein a parting line extends across each of the pluralityof side faces to define a lid and a base, the lid including the frontface, the base including the rear face.
 3. The luggage of claim 2,wherein the lid includes the front portion of the lower face.
 4. Theluggage of claim 2, wherein the front portion extends from the frontface toward the parting line.
 5. The luggage of claim 1, wherein thesupport is a spinner wheel.
 6. The luggage of claim 1, wherein the atleast one support includes a second support coupled to the lower faceproximate the rear face
 7. The luggage of claim 2 wherein the partingline lies in a vertical plane.
 8. The luggage of claim 2 wherein: asegment of the parting line extends from the lower face to the upperface, and the segment of the parting line is vertically aligned.
 9. Theluggage of claim 2 wherein: a segment of the parting line extends fromthe lower face to the upper face, and the segment of the parting line isparallel with the rear face.
 10. The luggage of claim 2 wherein a depthof the base measured between the rear face and the parting line issubstantially constant between the lower and upper faces.
 11. Theluggage of claim 2 wherein a depth of the lid measured between the frontface and the parting line tapers from proximate the lower face towardthe upper face.
 12. The luggage of claim 2 wherein the lid has a liddepth measured between the front face and the parting line, the base hasa base depth measured between the rear face and the parting line, and aratio of the lid depth to the base depth is between 2:1 and 20:1. 13.The luggage of claim 2 wherein: the front face includes an upper portionadjacent the upper face, and a lower portion adjacent the lower face,the upper portion is substantially parallel with the rear face, and thelower portion extends from the upper portion away from the rear facetoward the lower face.
 14. The luggage of claim 13 wherein the frontface includes the upper portion and the lower portion in the ratio ofbetween 1:1 and 3:1.
 15. The luggage of claim 13 wherein the front faceincludes the upper portion and the lower portion in the ratio of atleast 5:1.
 16. The luggage of claim 2 further comprising a zipper and ahinge connecting the lid and the base along the parting line.
 17. Aluggage comprising: a lid coupled to a front end of a base along aparting line, each of the lid and base extending between a lower end andan upper end, a depth of the base is substantially constant between thelower and upper ends of the base, a depth of the lid tapers fromproximate the lower end of the lid toward the upper end of the lid; andat least one support coupled to the lower end of the lid.
 18. Theluggage of claim 16 wherein: the lid includes a lower portion adjacentthe lower end of the lid, and an upper portion adjacent the upper end ofthe lid, the depth of the lid tapers in the lower portion of the lid,and the depth of the lid is substantially constant in the upper portionof the lid.
 19. The luggage of claim 18 wherein: the lid includes theupper portion and the lower portion in a ratio of between 1:1 and 3:1.20. The luggage of claim 18 wherein: the lid includes the upper portionand the lower portion in a ratio of at least 5:1.
 21. A luggagecomprising: a front face opposite a rear face; a plurality of side facescollectively surrounding the front and rear faces, each side faceconnecting the front face to the rear face, the plurality of side facesincluding at least an upper face opposite a lower face; a parting linedividing the luggage into a lid and a base, the lid including the frontface, the base including the rear face, at least a portion of the frontface extends from proximate the lower face toward the upper face in adirection toward the rear face; and at least one support connected tothe lid on the lower face.
 22. The luggage of claim 21, wherein: asegment of the parting line extends substantially linearly between thelower face and the upper face.